Category: Saturday Study

David 7.27.24

Grab your Bibles, and let’s go deeper into 1 and 2 Samuel and the life of King David. 

Few biblical figures are as important in God’s plan of redemption as David, the son of Jesse. He is the second king of Israel and the one with whom the Almighty makes an everlasting covenant for the good of the world. David is a model of loyalty, the writer of over half of the book of Psalms, and is an example of godliness for redeemed sinners because even though he sinned greatly, he still remained steadfast after God’s commands and practiced true repentance. 

It was in the middle of a great national crisis that David was selected to rule over the nation of Israel. After Saul proved to be a great failure, the Lord came to the prophet Samuel and instructed him to anoint a new monarch who would replace him. This is where we picked up in our reading, in 1 Samuel 16. After a long process of having each of Jesse’s oldest and most charismatic sons stand before Samuel one at a time so that he might discern which of the lads the Lord had chosen to be the new king, it was God’s will to choose the youngest and “least likely” candidate in David. In this, God teaches us a very important life lesson: “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

When the Lord selected David to be His chosen king, He wanted a man who understood the need to be a man “after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). David was surely this, as he was the least of his brothers and a humble shepherd who did not otherwise aspire to greatness.

Now it’s important we understand that David was a man after God’s own heart not because he was without sin, but because he was in tune with the Holy Spirit, and he repented when he had sinned. Men and women after God’s own heart are also sensitive to the work of the Holy Spirit, and we respond when He convicts us of sin and guides us in righteousness. One of the best ways to be sensitive to the Spirit is to study God’s written word, that we might hear Him when He calls. We must also be regularly in prayer and committed to our local church, where members and elders are tasked by God to encourage us in holiness and admonish us for sin. Our fight against sin and the temptations of this world are too real not to make these God-given things a priority in our lives. 

Despite being anointed as king over Israel in his father’s (Jesse’s) house, David did not take the throne right away. He was pressed immediately into the service of King Saul. It was in the first part of his time serving the king that David displayed many of the heroic qualities that would be so closely associated with him later.

It is in 1 Samuel 17 that we get a front row seat to one of the most famous fights in all of history and the true public coming-out party of David as a strong and worthy leader. The phrase “David and Goliath” has become the illustration of the underdog overcoming the favored champion. Soon after David entered the court of the king, the Philistines moved to attack the nation of Israel. As was common then, the armies of each nation stood opposite one another on two mountains with a valley in between them as they squared off for battle. From their vantage point, the Philistines and their champion, Goliath, engaged in a bit of psychological warfare, taunting Israel and boasting of their military superiority. This was also the usual way for armies to face each other before battle, and the clear atmosphere of the land of Palestine made it easy for shouts to be heard up to a mile away. What this meant was Saul and his army heard Goliath, and Scripture says they were “greatly afraid.” Even though King Saul and his armies were greatly afraid of Goliath and the encroaching Philistine army, David rose to the occasion, not in his own ability or reputation as a victorious warrior, but in the strength and name of God. David trusted God to do His perfect will. 

1 Samuel 17:45-47 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

Like David, we should not fear when we are pressed into service; indeed, we should be the first to volunteer to face potential suffering for the sake of Christ. We can be sure that God will give us the final victory when we fight for Him according to His ways. Though there will be some casualties on our side, the war’s outcome is decided, and all those who suffer now will be raised in triumph in the world to come. 

I Samuel 17:48-51 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

God surely gave a great victory to David and the Israelites that day, as the Giant was slain, and the Philistines fled. But this is not just a story of moral inspiration that it has commonly been made out to be. It is a great foreshadowing of the truer and better David, Jesus Christ, without whom all of our victories on earth are but a broken plastic trophy with no lasting value. Jesus is the one who defeated the true giant in our place. He is our victor and the one who gives a dead people new life to go out and make much of God’s name among all the nations. While David’s faith to stand up to the giant, who should have brutally slaughtered him, is great and worthy of following, it is Jesus, our bloodied champion over sin and eternal death, to whom David points us, that matters most. 

David was eventually made king, and the greatest king in ancient Israel he would be. He was a poet, musician, warrior, and great leader; He was “a man after God’s own heart” because of his extraordinary devotion to the Lord. But, David was not perfect or sinless by any means. Instead, he is also remembered as one of history’s greatest sinners. 2 Samuel 11 tells the famous story of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband Uriah to try to cover his guilt and sin. 

Like many of our own daily sins, David saw something he shouldn’t look upon. Instead of turning away, he pursued the lust in his heart of the sin. Instead of confessing of the sin and repenting from it, he tried to cover it up by having Bathsheba’s husband killed. How often does our engagement in sin slip fast and hard into addiction or more consequential sin? Oh, how we must fight our sin every day. This is why we are desperate for God’s word to instruct us and lead us unto righteousness. This is why we lean on the Holy Spirit in prayer and petition, not just over our Cheerios but all day long. This is why we do not make decisions alone but lean into our blood-bought family for godly counsel, encouragement, and admonishment when needed. We cannot fight this fight alone, nor should we when Christ has given us so much to armor ourselves and fight for His holy name. 

Like God has done for us in Christ, He mercifully forgave David when he acknowledged his sin, but this does not mean his transgression had no horizontal consequences. This we see in 2 Samuel 12, as Nathan faithfully brings to mind and heart God’s view and judgment on David’s sin. David would lose the child in Bathsheba’s womb, but David would not curse God for His righteous judgment; instead, David would worship the Lord even after these consequences were brought to pass. This showed that he acknowledged his guilt and the justice of God’s verdict. This is a huge example to us today. Many things that come about in this life, or consequences we or loved ones face, set the table for us to be angry at God and sinfully curse Him instead of trusting His ways are always good and righteous and perfect. 

Do you harbor lingering bitterness toward the Lord over the consequences you suffer from your sin or the hardships and loss that come with this broken world in which we live? We must always have faith in God. He is God and worthy of our praise no matter the situation. Circumstances do not EVER change the fact that God is worthy of our praise and due our trust and faith in Him. 

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Samuel 7.13.24

Grab your Bibles and let’s go deeper into the testimony of Samuel.

God Chooses Samuel

In 1 Samuel 3:1-10, we read the testimony of the call of the Lord on Samuel’s life and the beginning of Samuel’s prophetic ministry. While the narrative is simple, the takeaway is profound. The Lord is calling to Samuel, and yet Samuel doesn’t discern His voice, thinking it’s his elder, Eli. It says in 1 Samuel 3:7, “Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.” This is another reminder that it is the Lord who must reveal himself to us, for in our sin we are not spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).Therefore, we are desperate for God to awaken our dead hearts and call us to Himself. 

1 Peter 1:3 According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

When we understand that it is God who saves and sends us, this is a solid rock under our feet. Why? Because, if it were our own doing or our own inclination to follow and obey God, what security or lasting hope do we have, our eternity would be uncertain as it was up to us to stay in line. No. Instead, it is God who saves His elect and sets us on His path of righteousness and obedience for Him. It is God who will endure us to the end and lose none of His chosen people. So, Samuel is called by God and commissioned to be a prophetic voice to the people. 

Honest in Love With Those Above You

In 1 Samuel 3:11-18, Samuel is immediately faced with hearing God’s righteous judgment for an elder in his life. Not only does he have to hear God’s judgment on someone he loves, but Samuel is the one God instructs to bring God’s word to Eli. How hard is it when God uses us to bring admonishment to someone who ranks above us in life—a parent, a boss, a teacher, or an older brother or sister?

In his interaction with Eli, Samuel doesn’t hold back in speaking honestly. We need to love each other enough to speak honestly with each other and not hold back if that person needs to hear something, even if it’s hard to hear. We don’t help them grow, change, or improve if we simply leave it alone. 

In 1 Samuel 3:19-20 we read, “Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord.” Samuel is now established in all of Israel as God’s mouthpiece and His chosen prophet. 

1 Samuel 7:3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 

Samuel makes it clear to the people that they are to honor God and worship Him alone—put away your false idols, worship and serve God only, and He will lead you and deliver you. This is surely the command of God on us. We, too, must hear and act on these words. 

Confession and Repentance

1 Samuel 7:4-6 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only. Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah. 

The people were obedient and did as they were told. They practiced confession and repentance. This is what we are called to do, in Christ, when we see our sin or are called out on our sin—confess and repent. Let’s look at these closer: 

1. Confess: 

Confession—from the root word meaning “to agree together with.” 

God understands and knows all our sin, but it is key that we fully confess and understand our sin before Him. Confession sets the heart up for true repentance. Confession is simply acknowledging I have sinned. “This was sin. You call it sin. I am calling it sin. I am saying out loud to you, ‘God, I sinned!’”

1 John 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Now there is much we know we have done in sin, but there is much we are not tuned into, also. One important thing we must practice is being still and quiet before God. Why? Because, the Holy Spirit will reveal to us the sin that maybe we haven’t seen or acknowledged yet. 

Psalm 19:12-13 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.

13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me!

Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

2. Repent: 

Confession leads to repentance. So, what is repentance exactly? It is a word commonly used in church circles, but do we really understand what it really is? 

Repentance is taking up a new course in light of God’s will. It is turning from sin and turning to obedience and honoring God.

If confession is admittance—agreeing together with God, who knows already what really happened, repentance is a new direction. It is surrendering your current wrong path in order to get on the right one. 

We must practice, regularly, confession and repentance. It is not enough to say we sinned, in confession. We must turn from that sin and practice righteousness. We must turn, in repentance, and take up a new course or practice that honors God. 

Repentance is not something you do one time to be saved. Martin Luther said famously, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said ‘Repent,’ he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.” 

God’s Deliverance

In 1 Samuel 7:7-17, we read about God’s delivering the Israelites from the hand of the encroaching Philistines. He helps drive them back and brings the Israelites to great victory. Here, we also see that God endures Samuel to rule over, and be a faithful judge of, Israel all the days of his life (1 Samuel 7:15).

The Demand For a King

In 1 Samuel 8, Samuel has become old and he has made his sons judges over Israel. The problem is, his sons do not walk in his ways, but take bribes and pervert justice.

The Rejection of God as King and the Problem with a Human King

In I Samuel 8:7-18, we see the problem with the people’s desire for a human king and the consequences that will come if they choose to have a human king. When we read narratives like this, it is often too easy for us to declare that they were stupid to choose to deny God as King and long for a human ruler in His place. But is this not what we do often in our everyday lives? We must be oh-so-careful not to ever think that a human ruler is our hope or refuge. God, alone, is our King and we are members of His kingdom in Christ.In this, we must carefully navigatethe politics of the temporary land in which we find ourselves living. 

We must remember that we don’t live for politics. We don’t base our confidence about the future on who gets elected. 

Pastor John Piper said this well when he said, 

“Let those who vote or do politics do it as though they were not doing it [1 Cor 7:29-31] which means there’s a kind of engagement that is not all consuming. There is a kind of voting, a kind of doing politics a kind of advocacy which is not investing our whole selves in it because we are not here fully. We have a foot in heaven and a foot on the earth, we are citizens of two kingdoms, and this is not our main home. This world is passing away …”

1 John 2:17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

We know this system is disappearing. We shouldn’t be so worked up about our opponent getting elected that it undoes our life. What we ought to be saying is, “I am God’s child. Jesus Christ is my KING. I will trust in, and serve, Him all the days of my life.”

Daniel 2:21 tells us that God is the one who ultimately removes kings and sets up kings. So, we vote and engage in all that is before us trusting that God can and will use the upcoming season in the life of our country for His glory and our good no matter who gets elected president. May we avoid doing what the Israelites did, which was to put their hope into human kings, and instead be sure our priorities, thoughts, and hopes are for His kingdom first and foremost.

The Faithfulness of God Despite Our Rebellion and Sin

In 1 Samuel 12:20-25, Samuel remains faithful until the end of his life. God uses him in major ways despite the ups and downs of the people he leads. We can learn a lot from Samuel in that the fact that he remains faithful to God, and those he leads, despite how hard they make it. At the end of the day, we must remember we serve the Lord. We must remember He is sovereign over all things. We are not led nor swayed by our circumstances. We are led by the Lord of hosts. 

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Eli 7.6.24

Grab your Bibles, and let’s go deeper into the testimony of Eli.

Who is Eli?

In 1 Samuel 2:11, we read that Eli was a priest, and in 1 Samuel 2:22, that he was very old. 

In general, Eli was known to be a good, God-fearing man: a man of influence and leadership in his role as a judge over Israel and as a priest who interceded for the people. 

Who are his sons?

In 1 Samuel 2:12, we read that “the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.” In 1 Samuel 2:12-17, we read how they profaned the house of God. Verse 22 says, “He kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.”

A father’s plea to his sinning boys:

1 Samuel 2:23-25 And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death. 

The error in Eli’s leadership over his boys was that he pleaded with them to change, but he did nothing to hold them accountable or to restrain them from their sin and wicked ways. Discipline is a good thing. It is not loving or honoring to God to let those under your care run headlong into sin. 

Hebrews 12:5-6: And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Did you hear it? “Those whom the Lord loves he disciplines.” Our Father disciplines us because He loves us! Now, our English understanding of discipline is punishment, which is not the right picture here. The key is to look deeper at the word discipline. The Greek word for discipline is paideia. It is where we get our word pediatrics! What is a pediatrician’s primary concern? The over-all health of the child. The same is true of a parent for a child. Out of love, we are to discipline our children and not let them practice or pursue sin. 

God’s Rebuke

1 Samuel 2:27-29 And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’” 

The word of the Lord comes to Eli to remind him who God is, what He has done, and with what He has entrusted to Eli. Then it goes on to say clearly that Eli honored his sons above God. This is a huge reminder to us. We, too, are guilty of forgetting all that God has done for us by sending Christ to live and die and rise again for our victory and new life, which we did not deserve or earn. Yet we often spit on God’s grace and all that He deserves for who He is when we, too, make the things He has created and people we love more important to us than Him. 

1 Samuel 2:35 “And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.”

The promise of God in verse 35 of chapter 2 is huge. In the midst of declaring the demise of Levi and his house, the word of the Lord promises to raise up for Himself a faithful priest who will not live for his fleshly desires but will do what God wants. Upon this priest, He will build a sure house and he will be anointed forever. This is a beautiful pointing to Jesus Christ. 

Hebrews 4:14-16 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need

Eli’s Sin

1 Samuel 3:13 “And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them.”

It is not loving to fail to restrain the evil in our loved ones’ lives. To let them practice sin is to endorse their rebellion against the Lord and to disregard the command of God on their lives, which is to worship God by obeying their parents. 

Eli was a priest when the judges governed Israel, and as such, he was supposed to be an example to the people as their worship leader. Yet his home life made it impossible for him to be a model for those under his care. Scripture minces no words in describing his sons as “worthless” men who “did not know the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:12). In passing, we would not look at Eli as responsible for his sons’ adult transgressions, especially since Eli did plead with them to stop sinning (vv. 22-26). But in all actuality, Eli’s admonitions were half-hearted, because God charged the priest with exalting his sons above the Almighty (vv. 27-29), something that Eli likely did from their youth. Eli’s disordered, undisciplined, sinful family revealed that his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord. Being unfaithful and unfit for ongoing leadership, Eli was finally removed from his position (vv. 30-36; 4:12-18).

The Judgment for the House of Eli

1 Samuel 3:14 “Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” 

This is a sobering and damning word on the House of Eli, which is why Eli’s response to this news is so surprising.

Eli Is Told His Fate and Receives It

1 Samuel 3:15-18 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.”

It is interesting that Eli doesn’t honor God by rebuking his sons, but he does honor God as God through His judgment against him, even though it is so terrible.

Eli recognized the word of God when he heard it, because he understood the character of Him whose word it was. God is good and perfect and right and righteous in all His ways. Eli’s response affirms these ideas: “If this is God’s will for me, if this is God’s judgment on my life, because of who God is, I receive it and do not rebuke it.” Scripture tells us Eli said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” Can you make this affirmation from the depths of your heart in difficult times as well as in good times?

Examples: 

If your child or spouse dies, do you say to God with Eli, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him”? Do you say with Job, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21)?

When you get demoted or lose your job for no fault of your own, do you say to God with Eli, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him”? Do you say with Job, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21)?

As hard as it is, God must be the first and greatest allegiance. We must never undermine His character and perfect will in the face of great hardship or loss. We who are His blood-bought children must follow the faithful before us and yield to His perfect will. 

In 1 Samuel 4:1-11, we read about the death of the sons of Eli and 30,000 soldiers of Israel and the capture of the Ark of God. In 1 Samuel 4:12-18, we read about the death of Eli.

What are the take-aways from this testimony? 

Parents should take seriously the commands of God on them to discipline and raise their kids to obey them and honor the Lord.

Children need to take seriously the command of God to obey their parents.

Proverbs 6:20-23 My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s teaching.
Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. Wherever you walk, their counsel can lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up in the morning, they will advise you.
For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way of life.

Most of all, God is worthy of our trust and our praise. We are to honor Him above all others and obey His commands. May we take seriously the commands of God and the opportunities He puts before us to live for Him despite great adversity. 

Praise God we have a great high priest who intercedes for us before our holy God. In Christ we live and serve and do all things. 

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church

Hannah 6.29.24

Grab your Bibles, and let’s go deeper into the life of Hannah.

1 Samuel 1:1–2:12 testifies of the story of Hannah.

Hannah was a godly woman married to Elkanah the Ephraimite. For several years of her marriage, she was unable to conceive any children. This was a big deal in this culture and time, and the Scriptures tell us that she was mocked heavily for being barren. While this surely was hard to endure, in addition to not having the great blessing of bearing a child, she remained faithful to worship and pray to God. Each year, she would go up to Shiloh with her family, and on one of those occasions, we are let into Hannah’s fervent prayer for a son and her pledge to dedicate him to the Lord, should she bear one. 

Hannah gives us three important areas we should be practicing in our prayer life. I want to highlight these today and encourage you to look to grow in each of them in your prayer life. 

Constant Prayer

Do you share Hannah’s practice of faithful and constant prayer, instead of giving up when your circumstances are not going your way?

Matthew 7:7 (NLT, 1996) “Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened.”

Do you see the true value and importance of prayer? How powerful is it to you?

Let me ask you: How often do you pray? This is a sign of how powerful you believe prayer is.

To teach us the need for constant prayer, Jesus told this story in Luke 18:

Luke 18:1-8 (NLT,1996) One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who was a godless man with great contempt for everyone. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her. The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she wore him out. ‘I fear neither God nor man,’he said to himself, ‘but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this evil judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?”

If you know something is in God’s will, keep praying. Do not lose heart. Keep interceding. Keep going to Him, the source. 

When you do this, it will:

1. Keep hope alive! When you stop praying, it is a great sign you have lost hope in that situation.

2. It will maintain a willingness in you to be led by Him in His timing. When you stop praying, you believe you have learned all there is to learn, or that God is not able, or willing, to move in the situation.

3. It will guard your heart from sin. When you are going to God, you are not looking to something else to be the source or the answer. For example, if you are single and you are praying for a godly spouse, keep praying; as you pray in God’s will for the godly person He is preparing for you, you are constantly reminded of the kind of godly person God longs for you to be one with. When you do not do this, in sin you forget; you compromise; you begin to look for answers on your own—in your timing, in yourpower, and by your discernment. 

If we truly understood prayer’s power and how important it is, then we wouldn’t pray just once for something, but all the time. In some ways, it’s our constant submission that is more important than what we are asking for! If we learn this, we won’t pray just when it gets too hard but when we begin, during,and after.

Thankful Prayer

Now, back to Hannah: God heard her prayer, had mercy on her, and gave her the child she requested (1:1–20).

Not only do we see that Hannah prayed for what she desired from the Lord, but also, she that thanked Him for giving it to her. 

God’s word is clear that we are to be thankful to God, and this should be a regular part of our prayer life. Thanksgiving Prayer expresses gratitude and thanks to God for what He has done and is doing. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Ephesians 5:20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Psalm 7:17 (NLT) I will thank the Lord because he is just …

Psalm 30:12 … Oh Lord my God, I will give you thanks to you forever!

Psalm 95:2 NIV Let us come before him with thanksgiving …

Acts 13:48 NLT … they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message …

What we see is an incredible prayer that is focused not only on God’s goodness in the specific instance of giving Samuel to her, but also on the mercies of the Lord for the entire nation of Israel. Her prayer celebrates the sovereignty of our Creator in making Hannah’s barren womb fruitful, and it looks for God to give strength to the king who is not yet on the throne of the nation. Hannah saw in the answer to her prayer a sign of the Lord’s grace on the entire community and she thanked Him accordingly. We should have a similar focus in our prayers. It is very easy to get so focused on our needs that we ignore the needs of the body of Christ and others around us. When God blesses us, it is appropriate to thank Him and to look for how that blessing might be shared with the Lord’s people as well. 

Yielding Prayer

Hannah asked for Samuel with an eye toward giving him over to serve God and prepare the way for Israel’s king (1 Samuel 9:16), and we, too, should intercede with an eye toward how the answer might be used to extend His kingdom. Our prayer is truly to be selfless and openhanded. We need to practice prayer that takes into account the needs of God’s people.

We need to practice yielding to God the things to which we are prone to hold too tightly. 

Jesus modeled this for us in the Garden of Gethsemane! He did not “want” to be mocked, beaten, have his flesh torn off, and suffer a slow death on a criminal’s cross, but rather than demanding his way, he prayed, “… Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) This is a yielding prayer. This is yielding to God who knows best. 

If you stop and think about it, we should always want God’s will over our own,because our will is desperately selfish and, many times, driven by sinful desires or motivations. Also, God has a better perspective on what’s ahead than we do. Why would we not trust in His holy will and better view for our lives? 

The question is: Do you truly want what God wants or are you just saying that?

I pray that Hannah’s faithfulness in prayer is a great encouragement and reminder to you. 

She was faithful to ask and to bring her request to God. 

She was faithful to thank God for His response and hand in her life. 

She was faithful to yield to God what He had entrusted to her to be used ultimately for His purposes and will. 

I have always enjoyed considering the acronym for the word PRAY as a great reminder of these things. 

1. Praise: Praise and thank God! It is not about you, but all about God and who He is!

2. Repent: Confess sin and change your practice. Thank Him that you are forgiven. Experience renewal!

3. Ask: Ask God, earnestly, about all your needs and let Him know your concerns.

4. Yield: Leave it in God’s hands! Trust His deliverance and timing and want for His will to be done.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Disciples Church